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Objectives The b3-Adrenergic receptor gene polymorphism Trp64Arg (ADRB3 Trp64Arg) may be associated with weight gain, especially in the East Asian populations. To date, however, the results of various investigations aimed at determining whether ADRB3 Trp64Arg has any effect on weight reduction after intervention have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of ADRB3 Trp64Arg on weight reduction in a non-pharmacological intervention program. Methods Fifty-seven Japanese men (average age 48.1 ± 5.9 years) whose body mass index (BMI) was[23.0 kg/m 2 participated in an intervention program in which they were encouraged to exercise by walking with a pedometer for 12 weeks. The BMI was measured at the start of the intervention program and on weeks 4, 8, and 12 (end) of the intervention period. The reduction in the BMI (DBMI) was calculated as the BMI value obtained at each point in comparison to the baseline (initial) BMI. The participants were classified into two groups: Arg allele non-carriers (Trp/Trp) and Arg allele carriers (Trp/Arg or Arg/Arg), respectively. Results Among the participants, 61.4% were Trp/Trp homozygous, 38.6% were Trp/Arg heterozygous, and 0.0% were Arg/Arg homozygous. There was no significant difference in the DBMI between Arg allele non-carriers and Arg allele carriers at week 4 [non-carrier mean ± standard deviation (SD) vs. carrier mean ± SD: 0.25 ± 0.43 vs. 0.24 ± 0.35, respectively; p = 0.954], week 8 (0.56 ± 0.68 vs. 0.58 ± 0.61, respectively; p = 0.913), and week 12 (0.70 ± 0.86 vs. 0.84 ± 0.80, respectively; p = 0.545).Conclusions Our results suggest that ADRB3 Trp64Arg does not influence BMI reduction after an exercise-based intervention program.

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Objective Hand hygiene is a basic measure to prevent infections. The purpose of this study was to obtain suggestions for the improvement of hand hygiene by evaluating the education, knowledge, and attitudes of care staff at facilities for the elderly in regard to hand washing and glove use, as well as infection control policies by those facilities. Methods Among a total of 147 special nursing homes and health service facilities for the elderly in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, questionnaires were sent from October to November 2007 to 56 facilities which had agreed to participate in this survey. Two types of questionnaire, one for the facility manager and the other for care staff, were sent to each facility. Results The questionnaire was responded to by 42 managers (response rate 28.6%) and 1,323 staff members (response rate 26.3%). The rate of compliance with hand hygiene among them was 34.0%. Personal factors promoting hand hygiene were education and attitudes, while facility-related factor was the implementation of handwashing evaluation. Conclusion Since the hand hygiene compliance rate is low among care staff at facilities for the elderly, it is necessary to take measures to improve hand hygiene.Educational programs for hand hygiene should be developed in view of the conditions of individual facilities.

The results suggested that ADRB3 Trp64Arg polymorphism influences the metabolic syndrome improvement rate by exercise-based intervention program.